


5 Times Kuro Took Care of Kenma (+ 1 Time Kenma Took Care of Kuro)

by Dreaming_Days



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M, The undeniable fluff of two people in love taking care of each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:49:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_Days/pseuds/Dreaming_Days
Summary: “I got you some of that juice you like. And some pudding. And look!” Kuro rummaged through the bag for a moment, proudly presenting the item when he found it. “They had these mini apple pies as a special for the week. I got you one!”Kenma blinked, glancing between the pie and Kuro’s proud smile. He felt his own lips curl in response.“Thanks, Kuro.”“Anytime.”------------------------------Or, Kuro was always there to take care of Kenma.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 2
Kudos: 79





	5 Times Kuro Took Care of Kenma (+ 1 Time Kenma Took Care of Kuro)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I couldn't stop thinking about Kuroken taking care of each other and this was the result. 
> 
> No beta, so please let me know if there are any glaring grammatical issues.
> 
> Enjoy!

7 and 8

This must be what lobsters felt like when they were cooked, Kenma thought deliriously. Sweat pooled at his temples, soaking his hair, yet he couldn’t throw off the blanket he huddled under. Every time he did, shivers wracked through his scrawny body. 

Kenma’s mother had taken him to the doctor that morning and he had returned with a diagnosis of the flu and directions to stay hydrated. His mom had given him some pain relievers and made him a bowl of soup, then told him to go to bed and  _ rest, Kenma, so no games. _

Suffice to say, he was pretty miserable. 

He sniffled pathetically, mind wandering to Kuro. Kenma had heard him come to the door to pick him up so they could walk to school together, as they did every morning. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time they hadn’t walked to school together since they met a couple of years ago. 

Of all things, that thought was what made his lip tremble. He refused to cry, though, despite the tightness in his throat. 

Just as he was drifting off into an exhausted daze, the sound of his door opening quietly jerked him to awareness. He looked to the door, expecting to see his mother coming to check on him. 

Instead, a head of spiky hair peeked around the door. 

“Kuro?” His voice was hoarse, making his already quiet voice even quieter. 

“Sorry,” the other boy said, stepping further into the room. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Kenma shook his head. “I wasn’t really sleeping anyway.”

“Oh,” Kuro said, smiling in relief. 

The crooked smile eased something in Kenma. 

A slight crinkle of a plastic bag alerted Kenma to what Kuro had with him. The older boy raised the bag. 

“I got you some of that juice you like. And some pudding. And look!” Kuro rummaged through the bag for a moment, proudly presenting the item when he found it. “They had these mini apple pies as a special for the week. I got you one!”

Kenma blinked, glancing between the pie and Kuro’s proud smile. He felt his own lips curl in response. 

“Thanks, Kuro.”

“Anytime.”

—

12 and 13

The practice that day has been grueling. 

Now a first year in middle school, rejoining Kuro after a year in different schools, Kenma had let himself get talked into joining the volleyball team. 

He currently regretted that decision. 

It was nothing like the casual, light-hearted practice that he and Kuro had done previously. 

The practice was long, the coach was demanding, and the seniors were intimidating. He went home tired every day. Even being with Kuro couldn’t completely make up for everything else. 

That day, the coach, critical of their sloppy defense in their last game, had them practice diving receives for most of practice. Kenma was tired, sore, and, as he walked home, he started feeling overheated. 

By the time he was getting ready for bed, he had a full-blown fever. 

His parents fussed over him and told him that he wouldn’t be going to school the next day before sending him to bed. 

Before he went to sleep, he texted Kuro that he wouldn’t be going to school the next day. He didn’t expect a response, knowing the older boy went to sleep early. To his surprise, however, his phone buzzed a few moments later. 

Kuro:  _ Are you okay???? _

Kenma’s mouth twitched into a slight smile at his friend’s concern. 

Kenma:  _ fine, just a fever _

Kuro:  _ because of practice? _

Kenma:  _ probably  _

There was no response for a few minutes. Kenma assumed Kuro had gone to sleep. Then his phone buzzed again. 

Kuro:  _ I’m sorry _

Kenma frowned. What was Kuro apologizing for? He wasn’t the one who fumbled receives. He wasn’t the one who made everyone practice diving receives for what felt like an eternity. 

As he pondered, he didn’t even notice when the wonderings turned to dreams. 

The next morning, Kuro hadn’t texted anything else. Kenma still wasn’t sure how to respond. He decided to wait until he saw Kuro again, probably the next day, since his fever had gone down significantly overnight. 

Then, Kuro surprised him again. 

That afternoon, a hesitant knock came at his door. “Kenma?”

Now Kenma was sure something was wrong. Kuro didn’t knock. He always walked in with the confidence born from knowing he was welcome. 

He cleared his throat, anxiety twisting in his gut. “Come in.”

The door opened quietly. Kuro stood there, not stepping into the room or even looking directly at him, eyes trained at the floor instead. . “Um...I just wanted to check on you.”

“Okay,” Kenma said dumbly, feeling off-balance at Kuro’s meekness. 

“Are you okay?”

“Fine. My fever went away a couple of hours ago.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Kuro said, relief in his voice. “Then...I’ll leave you alone.”

Kenma looked in disbelief as Kuro turned away. Before he could really think about it, he called out “wait!”

Kuro paused and turned back, finally looking at him.

Kenma asked the question that had been nagging at him since the previous night. “Why did you apologize?”

Kuro looked surprised. “Because...this is all my fault. I made you join the team, even though you don’t like doing tiring things. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have trained until you got sick-“

“Kuro,” Kenma interrupted. “You didn’t force me. I might not have joined the team if you hadn’t me to but I wouldn’t have stayed if I didn’t want to.”

“But,” Kuro looked uncertain. “You’re tired every day because of practice…”

“I am. But...volleyball isn’t so bad. And I like leveling up with you.”

Kuro stared at him for a few moments. Then a smile crept onto his face. “I like leveling up with you too.”

In their next practice, Kenma noticed a shift in Kuro’s playing. He stayed in Kenma’s orbit, getting any balls that came their way. 

He smiled, realizing what Kuro was doing for him. 

After practice, on their way home, he nudged his shoulder into Kuro’s. 

“Thanks, Kuro.”

Kuro glanced down with a small smile. “Anytime.”

—

18 and 19

Kenma thought he knew what to expect when Kuro left to college. In his last year of elementary school and his last year of middle school, he and Kuro were in different schools. Kenma thought it would be the same when Kuro went off to college while Kenma was in his third year of high school.

It wasn't. 

Previously, they were in different schools but they still lived next to each other. They still spent most of their time after school together. Despite being apart during school hours, Kenma didn't feel lonely. 

He did now. 

A cold hole was carved at his side where Kuro had always been. The presence he had always taken for granted was gone. Sure, they called and texted every day without fail. But, it wasn't the same. 

At first, he had been fine. There had been brief periods when they didn't see each other for a few days at a time before. After a couple of weeks, though, the separation started to take its toll.

He felt disinterested. Lethargic. Lonely. He just...missed Kuro.

Because of this, he didn't realize at first that he had gotten sick. He had felt tired for weeks, gaming late into the night without Kuro there to see his light on and text him to go to sleep. If he was being honest with himself, he knew he should but gaming took his mind off of missing Kuro.

Then, one morning, the sore throat and stuffy nose made their appearances and he could no longer ignore it.

He was sick.

He texted the team in their group chat that he wouldn't be at practice for the next few days. He told them that Tora would be in charge in the meantime. 

He hoped he wouldn't regret that.

He immediately got a flurry of responses wishing him well. That made him feel a bit better.

He dozed off after that, the stuffy feeling in his head preventing him from being able to focus on anything. When he woke up, he had a text from Kuro.

Kuro:  _ What happened did you get sick??? _

Kenma cursed his teammates. He knew one of them had tattled to Kuro. He would bet it was Lev who babbled to Yaku who told Kuro.

Kenma:  _ Im fine dont fuss _

Kuro:  _ I know youre lying, I texted auntie _

Kenma cursed again. Betrayed again, this time by his mother. His phone buzzed again before he could respond.

Kuro:  _ Im on the train, be there in an hour _

Kenma jerked upright, adrenaline rushing through him. Kuro was coming!

For the first time that day, he realized how much of a mess he looked like. His hair, now past his shoulders, was stringy. His clothes clung to him in uncomfortable places after a day of sweating sickly. He knew without looking that he had shadows darker than an abyss under his eyes. His mind raced. He needed to shower. Change. Neaten up his room. There wasn't much he could do about the shadows under his eyes-

He suddenly stopped. Why was he fussing so much? It was just Kuro. The older man had seen him at his worst, from being sick with the stomach flu to looking halfway to zombification after gaming into the wee hours of the morning. There was no need to be embarrassed.

He forced himself to lay back down. He wasn't going to continue that train of that. He wasn't going to speculate on where it had come from either. Definitely not connect it to the yawning emptiness he felt since Kuro had gone. 

He spent the next hour trying (and failing) to distract himself. By the time Kuro arrived, he had almost convinced himself it was a moment of insanity.

Then Kuro walked in.

A peace Kenma hadn't known he was missing settled in. His eyes drunk in the sight, the tall figure, the broad shoulders, the crooked grin, the sleepy eyes, the spiky hair. 

And he knew he couldn't deny it to himself anymore. That feeling that he felt for Kuro wasn't the love of a friend. It was so much more. His very soul ached when Kuro was gone. It was clear now what he felt towards Kuro.

"Hey, are you listening?"

Kenma suddenly realized Kuro had been talking the whole time he had been in a daze.

"You must be sicker than I thought, zoning out like that."

Kenma shook his head. "I'm fine. Just a headache."

Kuro narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He always knew when Kenma was lying and this was no exception. Thankfully, he decided to let it alone.

"I was just saying I got you some medicine, some juice. Of course, I couldn't come without getting you some pie!"

Kuro placed the bag at Kenma's bedside. "Do you need anything else?"

Kenma shook his head. "Thanks, Kuro."

Kuro smiled, the sight making Kenma's heart clench. "Anytime."

For the next few hours, Kuro played nurse. Apparently, he was going to stay overnight and take the first train back in the morning so that he could catch his class at noon.

"I already asked someone to lend me the notes for my morning class," he explained.

Kuro neatened his room, brought him food, and continuously refreshed the cool towel he placed on Kenma's forehead. When he settled down to sit beside Kenma's bed, pulling out a book to read aloud to the other, Kenma felt a rush of affection.

Before he could really think about it, the words slipped out. 

"I love you."

Kuro's head whipped around and the older man stared at him with widened eyes. "What...what did you mean by that?"

Despite the cold terror he had felt when he heard himself speak, the twisting of anxiety in his gut, he decided he might as well dig the hole deeper.

"I meant that I'm in love with you. I think I have been for a while, I just...didn't realize until now."

"O-Oh..." Kuro didn't say anything else, his gaze becoming distant.

Kenma waited for a minute. Then two. Then three. 

Finally, he decided he couldn't take the suspense anymore. "You can just turn me down, I won't be upset-"

"No, that's not-!" Kuro looked at him intently, eyes speaking volumes. 

And Kenma understood before Kuro said it.

"I love you, too."

—

19 and 20

The last few months had been hectic.

Throughout high school, Kenma's streaming channel had a small, though loyal, following. In his first year of college, his subscriber count grew. Right at the start of his second year, it had exploded.

Within the span of a few months, his channel had slowly taken up more and more of his time. When he wasn't doing anything related to that, he was working on college work. If they didn't live together, he doubted he would see Kuro at all, considering the other man was just as busy with his internship.

He often found himself forgetting about anything as we streamed, edited, met with sponsors. He would often go hours without eating anything, even longer without drinking. 

As the final exams for his college classes drew near, he found himself pulling several all-nighters and disregarding anything unrelated to school or streaming.

It only took a few days for that to take his toll.

As he finished editing his latest video, he felt his gaze become blurry. His head spun. As his sight darkened, he thought he imagined a familiar voice call out his name.

He heard the rhythmic beeping before he woke up. He opened his eyes, blinking a few times to clear his vision.

He was in a hospital room. 

He felt sore and tired. It felt like an act of Herculean strength to move his hand. He felt a tug when he finally managed it. A glance down showed the source.

Kuro was at his side, holding his right hand, head resting on his other arm on the bed. A glance showed that an IV was connected to his other hand.

As his shifting, Kuro looked up, eyes full of worry. "Kenma! You finally woke up."

_ Finally _ ? "How long was I asleep?"

"You passed out around 9 last night. It's 2 in the afternoon now."

"Oh." He had been unconscious for over 12 hours. He didn't need to ask to know that he had done this to himself. Days with little food, water, or sleep had sapped his strength. He wouldn't be surprised if he was dehydrated, among other things.

He felt an uncomfortable roiling of guilt at worrying Kuro with his carelessness. "I'm sor-"

"I'm sorry." Kuro cut him off. "I should have been paying more attention, I should have noticed-"

"This isn't your fault," Kenma said, refusing to hear any more self-recriminations from Kuro. "You were busy with your internship and I'm a grown man. I made the dumb decision to not bother taking care of myself. That wasn't your fault."

"But...I've always taken care of you..." Kuro looked more upset with Kenma's reassurances.

Kenma's heart softened. This man was too good. "I know. And I appreciate that. But, you don't have to put that responsibility on yourself. This was on me."

Kuro hesitated for a moment, searching Kenma's eyes. What he found there relaxed his shoulders. "Okay." 

"Now, if you want to make me feel better, climb in here. I'm lonely." 

Kuro smiled, already moving to join Kenma on the hospital bed. "Of course."

He lay next to Kenma and rested his arm around Kenma's waist. Kenma turned to his side, facing Kuro, and snuggled into his boyfriend's chest.

"Thanks, Kuro."

"Anytime."

—

23 and 24

Kenma had a set routine. After being a steamer/CEO for a couple of years, he relied on his routine to keep him productive and sane. Stream twice a week, board meetings once a week, stock paperwork another day, and a video uploaded every weekend. Kuro had insisted he schedule two days of rest a week because  _ you need your rest, Kenma _ . 

This stream was different, though. He was holding a charity stream, 24 hours. Other than a few short breaks, during which he would use the bathroom and scarf down a protein bar, he would be streaming nonstop. 

After the first few hours, he heard the faint sound of the door to his gaming room open. He glanced over to see Kuro enter, looking handsome as can be in his suit, likely having just gotten home. He kept carefully out of frame and he walked to Kenma, holding a plate with a sandwich cut into small pieces and a cup of water. He set them down beside Kenma and slipped out just as quickly. 

Kenma smiled slightly, grabbing a piece of the sandwich and popping it into his mouth. 

A few hours later, Kuro, now in his pajamas, came back in. He set down a plate of fruit and a closed cup, picked up the empty plate and cup, and left again. 

This would be the most difficult part of the stream, keeping it going overnight. 

Kenma picked up the cup and took an experimental sip. His heart warmed. It was coffee. 

Kuro always seems to know what he needed and provided it without hesitation. 

He made it through the night, the coffee and fruit keeping him awake and mostly energized. In the morning, Kuro came back in, in a different suit, probably about to leave for work. He set down a plate with sliced boiled eggs and a cup of juice, picked up the used plate and cup, and left. 

The stream continued and wound down as the afternoon slowly turned into evening. Finally, he hit the 24 hour mark. 

“Thanks for watching, everyone. I’ll be posting a highlight video on Tuesday. Bye, guys.”

He ended the stream, then slumped back in the chair. His eyes burned when he closed them, dry from hours of keeping them open and focused. He was too tired to move and, before he knew it, he fell asleep. 

He woke to Kuro’s voice gently calling his name. 

“Kenma, you need to shower and eat before you sleep,” Kuro said, stroking Kenma’s hair. 

Kenma groaned. “Nooo, I’m too tired.”

“Kenma, come on,” Kuro said, trying to sound stern but completely failing due to his fond smile. 

Kenma held his arms out. “Carry me.”

Kuro chuckled. He picked Kenma up, Kenma holding onto him like a koala. 

Kuro carried him to the bathroom and set him down. “You going to get out of your clothes by yourself or do you want me to undress you?” 

Kenma glared at him petulantly. He began undressing himself without a word. As he did, Kuro turned on the water, checking the temperature. He gestured to Kenma when the water was warm. 

Kenma stepped into the spray, letting the warm water relax his muscles. Kuro picked up the shampoo and squirted some into his hands, gently scrubbing it into Kenma’s hair. His hands were soothing, massaging his scalp. Kenma felt himself doze, the warm water and gentle hands making him sleepy-well, sleepier. 

Kuro rinsed out the shampoo, turned off the water, and leaned over to grab a towel, wrapping it around Kenma. 

“I’m going to heat up some food, are you good to get dressed?”

Kenma nodded and Kuro headed out. By the time he had dressed and walked out to the kitchen, Kuro was ladling some curry into a plate of steaming rice. He glanced up when Kenma walked in.

“Kenma, go ahead and sit-ah, Kenma?”

Kenma had walked to Kuro and pushed him toward a chair. Kuro went along willingly despite his confusion. Kenma steered him until he was backed into a chair, then continued to push until Kuro sat down. Once he sat, Kenma sat in his lap, laying his head down on the older man’s shoulder and gazing up at him. “Feed me?”

Kuro chucked. “Of course, kitten.”

Kuro fed Kenma patiently. If Kenma was a cat, he would be purring at the utter contentment he felt. 

By the time the plate was cleared, Kenma couldn’t even keep his eyes open anymore. Kuro lifted him into his arms and carried him to bed. 

He laid Kenma down and drew the covers over him. He stroked Kenma’s head, dropping a kiss onto his forehead. “Good night, kitten.”

He straightened, turning to leave. Kenma caught his wrist before he could go. “Thanks, Kuro.”

The other man smiled. “Anytime.”

—

25 and 26

Kuro had been incredibly busy for months. With the Olympics coming up, Kuro was swept up in ad campaigns. 

The past few weeks had been even worse. Kuro went to work before dawn and stayed until well past dusk. 

This time, he wasn’t back until past midnight. Kenma had been concerned when Kuro didn’t return at his normal time and had been waiting on the couch for the last few hours. He whipped his head around when he heard keys jingling. The lock clicked and the door swung open. 

Kuro looked several degrees past exhausted. His eyes were sunken, his suit rumpled. Even his hair seemed to droop. 

Kenma stood and walked to Kuro. “You look awful,” he said without thinking. 

Kuro snorted. “Thanks,” he said sarcastically. 

“I meant...you look tired,” Kenma clarified, leading Kuro to the couch. 

“I am. We had to finish the proposal for the next ad. We’re supposed to present it tomorrow.” He sunk down onto the couch, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. 

Kenma stood in front of him, loosening the older man’s tie and unbuttoning his suit. Once he had, he sat at the other end of the couch and tugged on Kuro’s hand. 

Kuro let himself be pulled, falling onto his side with his head in Kenma’s lap. Kenma stroked his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. He let his hands drift lower to Kuro’s neck, kneading the tense muscles. 

Kuro hummed, eyes drifting shut. His breathing slowed and steadied as he relaxed, his muscles loosening. 

After several minutes, Kenma assumed Kuro had fallen asleep. Then, a sleepy voice said “thanks, Kenma.”

Kenma smiled, hands continuing their work. “Anytime.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are appreciated :)


End file.
